//Wednesday, May 10, 2006

// Why All The Forwarded Emails Go In My Trash Can

Nicole sent this email out, and its about time somebody said something about these stupid things! There was another email going around about MSN shutting down and you had to forward it to everybody, and somebody emailed the sender back saying it was a bunch of BS. I really like those emails! Too bad I didn't save it, ah well enjoy this one!



Email petitions are the hardest emails not to forward, because they appeal to your conscience. In theory, there's nothing wrong with them, but in practice, they simply don't work. Why? Let's do the math.

Let's say that you sign a petition as number 1 on the list. Then you send it to 5 of your friends. Now let's assume that all of them sign their names as number 2. At this point, there are 5 different versions of the petition.

1 x 5 = 5

If each friend sends the petition to 5 of their friends, all of whom sign, there will be 25 different versions of the petition.

5 x 5 = 25

If each of those friends sends it on to 5 of their friends, all of whom sign, there will be 125 different versions of the petition.

25 x 5 = 125

If this trend continues, by the 10th set of forwards there will be almost 10 million different versions of the petition.

125 x 5 = 625

625 x 5 = 3,125

3,125 x 5 = 15,625

15,625 x 5 = 78,125

78,125 x 5 = 390,625

390,625 x 5 = 1,953,125

1,958,125 x 5 = 9,765,625

No-one, no matter how well meaning, will be able to make sense of the mess. And the email address that was supposed to collect the petitions will have long since been shut down.

If you want to make your voice heard, use your favorite search engine to find a respected organization working on the issues that are meaningful to you. Often, the organization's website will provide online petitions, pre-written emails or toll-free numbers to call.


...and that's why all the forwarded emails go into my trash can!

5 Comments:

Blogger MattyRob said...

yeah, those go in the trash can too

i love god and all, but hate those types of emails

7:54 p.m.  
Blogger Stephanie said...

BUT GUYS! I CAN PROVE HOW MUCH I LOVE JESUS THROUGH AN E-MAIL!! I AM SOOOO SPIRITUAL!!

Note the sarcasm. Sorry for those who DO send out the e-mails and truly believe that they are spreading their faith. Reading the stories are cool but I hate the forwards where it says, "If you love Jesus, YOU'LL FORWARD THIS ON." I hate those SO MUCH! WITH A PASSION! I don't need e-mail to prove my faith.

Sorry if this comment is a little... bitter. I think you can all relate to forwarded e-mails one way or another and this is how I relate.

8:14 p.m.  
Blogger Stephanie said...

Yo Rhebs! Sorry about my last comment... I hope you didn't find it to be an attack on you or anything. It was not at all my intention! The comment was mostly to express the internal frustration I experience everytime I see an e-mail that says something along those lines at the end. No worries!

10:12 p.m.  
Blogger Kelsey said...

ooers, I hate those emails too. Especially the ones that ask you to send it back to the person who sent it to you, to see whether or not you're a good friend or something. They are manipulative emails that play off people's guilt. Guilt that the email itself creates. I refuse to be manipulated by emails! hehehe

10:51 p.m.  
Blogger MattyRob said...

I think I agree with you all. More with Steph about the whole "email this to 5 people if you love Jesus" stuff.

Same thing with emails that say "email 5 people and a girl/guy will make out with you" In no way possible will that happen, and if I delete the email, I am not eternally doomed from ever having a love.

Wow, look at all the comments!

11:54 p.m.  

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